Cats Camp Notes | Day 18

Special Teams/Safeties coach Craig Naivar, right, encourages Mikel Horton during a drill at practice for members of the media, Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at the Nutter Training Facility in Lexington. Photo by Jonathan Palmer, Special to the CJ(Photo: Jonathan Palmer, Special to the CJ)Buy Photo

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Mark Stoops had quite a bit of personnel news to share Friday as the University of Kentucky football team wrapped up its preseason camp. He ruled out wide receiver Jeff Badet for the Aug. 30 opener against Tennessee-Martin, listed nine true freshmen he expects to play right away and announced plans to, if possible, redshirt four-star quarterback Drew Barker

Stoops said Badet, who was hit in the eye with a tennis ball during a drill, will miss "at least" the first two games as he recovers. The sophomore caught 22 passes for 285 yards and touchdown last season. Badet and fellow receiver Alexander Montgomery, who is still recovering from a knee injury, are the only players expected to miss the opener.

"It is getting better. It's not as bad as it could've been," Stoops said of Badet's eye. "From what I understand, these injuries take some time, and we have to be very careful with that type of injury."

As for freshmen from UK's unprecedented 2014 recruiting haul who will be on the field Week 1, Stoops said he expects wide receivers Garrett Johnson, T.V. Williams, Thaddeus Snodgrass, Blake Bone and Dorian Baker will all play, along with running backs Mikel Horton and Stanley "Boom" Williams, defensive back Kendall Randolph and defensive tackle Matt Elam.

The rest: "Right now, they won't play. We'll redshirt them if they can. We'll see how they progress."

That includes Barker, the face of that 2014 class and a U.S. Army All-American who this week lost a tight competition with third-year sophomore Patrick Towles for the starting quarterback job.

"We would like to (redshirt Baker) if we could," Stoops said. "I think that would be in his best interest and our best interest. We'll see how that goes. He will prepare to play in a backup role, and if we can save him through the season that's what we'd like to do."

Offensive coordinator Neal Brown said the Cats will "just play it by ear" with Barker.

"In a perfect world, Patrick plays well. We'd like to redshirt," Brown said. "We're not going to put him in for any junk minutes, by any means."

DAY 18 STANDOUTS

Entering camp, Brown said finding a third offensive tackle was one of his biggest concerns. That seems to have sorted itself out, thanks to redshirt freshman Kyle Meadows' camp performance.

"We're going to play him a lot," Brown said of the 6-5, 294-pound Meadows, a top-50 recruit at his position and top-40 overall prospect in Ohio in the Class of 2013.

Brown said UK will also play redshirt freshmen guards Cole Mosier (6-6, 348) and Nick Haynes (6-3, 319) in reserve roles early this season. Senior Teven Eatmon-Nared (6-7, 339) is the Cats' other backup tackle the coaches feel comfortable playing. All four of the freshmen linemen Kentucky signed in 2014 are likely to redshirt.

NOTABLE

* Elam, rated a five-star recruit by 247Sports, is one of the freshmen who'll play right away. Why? "He needs to play," defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh said. "Once he gets (in), I think everything will take care of itself." Good news for the Cats: Elam is still losing weight. He said he came to UK at 392 pounds and was down to 372 on media day. Brumbaugh said he's dropped 14-15 pounds since camp started.

* Running backs coach Chad Scott practically danced off the practice field Friday. It helps that his position goes five deep, including four former four-star recruits, and looks like the strength of the offense. But that wasn't the only reason he was smiling. "I'm feeling great," Scott said, "because one of the keys to success to start this camp was to keep these guys health. And they're all healthy."

* Has Towles developed better chemistry with his wide receivers since being named the starter Monday and getting significantly increased practice repetitions with them? "I think it will come," Brown said. "I think it's coming. He threw the ball well today. And we've got it honed down, too. We've got a game plan in that we're using, so we're not out running our whole package every day. We've got it honed down, and this is the second day that we've thrown it, so yes, he's getting more comfortable."

* Senior receiver Demarco Robinson was suspended indefinitely late last season for an unspecified violation of team rules and missed the final two games. He has practiced with the team through camp but had "some obligations to meet" before being allowed to play, Stoops said earlier this month. So will he be out there for the opener? "You know what, I'm not sure," the coach said. "I'm not ready to make a decision on that yet. So I'll let you know that early next week." Robinson has 53 career catches for 527 yards.

QUOTABLE

"After spring ball, I kind of understood that it was going to be a rocky year. This year, I'm more optimistic. I know that we have more talent. We lack experience, but I know we're more talented. We've got to go out and prove it." – offensive coordinator Neal Brown

INJURY REPORT

Stoops said prized defensive end Lloyd Tubman, a freshman from Seneca High School, will likely redshirt, in part because of an injury. "Missed about three, four, five days right in the middle of camp. Didn't help his situation," the coach said.

Senior Javess Blue, UK's leading receiver last season who missed spring practice recovering from shoulder surgery and has lost time in camp to nagging injuries, fully participated in Friday's practice. "It was good to see him out there," Stoops said.

Williams, the explosive freshman back, jogged off the practice field with a trainer earlier this week. He was clutching his right arm. His coach isn't worried. "He's fine. He's fine," Stoops said. "Got a boo-boo on his wrist. So he's fine."